Internal combustion pumps



Oct. 27, 1959 F. F. TESSIN INTERNAL COMBUSTION PUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 27. 1957 INVENTOR.

7 Fred F. Tess/n BY Affy Oct. 27, 1959 F. F. TESSIN 0 2,910,004

INTERNAL COMBUSTION PUMPS Filed Sept. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 2Fig 3 L 3 1 I Y i r 5 I50 l/ 5 a '2 4 9 1 INVENTOR.

Fred F. 7' ass/n United States Patent C 2,910,004- INTERNAL COMBUSTIONPUMPS" Fred F. Tessi'n, Santa Rosa, Calif. Application September27,1957, Serial No. 686,636 6 Claims. (Cl. 103-75) The present inventionrelates to improvements in internal combustion pumps and has particularreference to a pump in. which the expansive force of an explosive gas isused directly to provide a pumping eifect on a column of water or otherliquid.

More particularly, it is proposed to utilize for this purpose aconventional reciprocating engine and to arrange a water column withrespect to the piston so that the latter on its outstroke is made toadvance the column of water toward a point of destination disposed at ahigher elevation for discharge of a portion of said water at the freeend of the column.

It is further proposed to provide anarrangement in which the back surgeof the raised column of water is used to return the piston on itsinstroke to its starting position.

It is additionally proposed to provide for an intermediate step in whicha new charge of water is introduced into the water column toward. theend of the outstroke to compensate for the water discharged at the pointof destination.

Again, it is contemplated to introduce the new charge under pressure andto cause the new charge. to arrest. the piStOn movement at apredetermined time and to initiate its return movement while the maincolumn still advances toward the point of destination under the momentumimparted to the same by the piston originally, while the back surge ofthe column, after it has lost its momentum, is relied on to complete thereturn or intake stroke of the piston.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a cam shaft operatedby the back and forth surges of the column of water and adapted foroperating various accessories similar to parts conventionally operatedby a cam shaft in a modern engine.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification progresses, and the new and useful features of the samewill be fully defined. in the claims hereto attached.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical section through my pump, with the piston atthe beginning of the outward stroke;

Figure 2, a similar section of a portion of the pump, with the pistonnearing the end of the outward stroke;

Figure 3, a section similar to that of Figure 2, with the piston at theend of the outward stroke.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claims attached hereto, without departing from the spiritof the invention.

My invention is here shown as applied to a two-cycle engine which hasbeen selected for the purpose of the present description as being thepreferred form and as "ice being the best adapted for the purposes ofthe present invention.

Referring. to the drawing in detail, my invention comprises, in itsprincipal features, a cylinder 1, of Suitable length having a cap 2- atits upper end and an elbow 3 at its lower end, a pressure accumulator 4surrounding, an intermediate portion of the cylinder, and a piston- 5reciprocable in the cylinder.

Fuel is injected intothe cylinder in any suitable manner employed intwo-cycle engines through the hole 6. I

The elbow 3 is connected, in any suitable manner, to piping 7 includinga vertical. element 8 leading to a point of destination, such as a tank9 disposed above the level-v of the pump, into which the water is to bepumped.

The cylinder is formed, immediately above the pressure accumulator, withan exhaust port 10 and an air intake port 11 to which air is admittedunder pressure.

The pressure accumulator isin the nature of an annular chambersurrounding an intermediate section of the cylinder and communicatingwith the latter through a seriesof ports 12 at the bottom end of thechamber.

The chamber communicates with a source of water supply through a conduit13. The water is fed into the chamber under pressure in any suitablemanner and provides for a pressure cushion above the water, as at 14.

The piston 5 is in the form of an annular skirt 15 having a closesliding fit in the main cylinder and has a dome-shaped head 16 tocorrespond to the shape of the dome-shaped cap of the cylinder.

The full length of the piston is such that when the piston is in itsuppermost position, as shown in Figure 1, with its upper end slightlyspaced from the cap of the cylinder to form a combustion chamberindicated at 17, the bottom end of the apron extends. slightly belowthe. lower end of the pressure accumulator 4: and closes the ports 12 aswell as the ports 10 and 11.

The skirt is preferably made in two vertically alined sections 15a and15b connected by central vanes 18 in such a manner as to leave anopening 19 of considerable length between the two sections. Thisopening, in the position shown in Figure 1, that is, at the beginning ofthe outward stroke, does not communicate with any of the ports 10, 11and 12, but is intended for cooperation with the ports 12 at a laterstage.

The piston is hollow, of substantially uniform crosssection, except forreinforcing ribs, and has a capacity only slightly less than that. ofthe cylinder.

As the piston moves downward into the position shown in Figure 2, itsupper end clears the ports 10 and 11, and the lower end of the opening19 enters into registry with the ports 12. in. the cylinder.

As it advances still further into the. position of Figure 3, the portsituation remains substantially the same.

In operation, let it be assumed that the piston is at the beginning ofits outstroke. At this time, the piston, the lower end of the cylinder,the elbow 3 and the piping 7--8 are filled with a solid body of water,and the pres sure accumulator is filled to the height indicated andunder pressure.

As the gas in the chamber 17 explodes, the piston is forced downward onits outstroke and pushes the entire body of water contained in thecylinder and the piping to cause the water to rise in the pipe and aportion to overflow into the tank at the upper end of the pipe.

As the upper end of the piston passes the ports 10 and 11, the gas inthe combustion chamber will escape through one of said ports, whilefresh air rushes into the other port.

At the same time, the opening 19 in the piston is made to register withthe ports 12 and water under pressure is made to rush into the pistonfrom the pressure accumulator 4.

This new charge of water, while not interfering with the momentum of thewater below the port 12, adds to the body and arrests the downwardmotionof the piston in such a manner that the latter comes to a stopvery quickly, as shown in Figure 3, which indicates the end of the outmovement of the piston.

Since, even in the position of Figure 3, the water keeps charging fromthe pressure accumulator, it initiates return movement of the pistonuntil the opening 19 rises above the ports 12.

At this time the column of water in'the piping 7-8 has lost its momentumandsurges back and drives the piston back to its initial position, so asto compress the air admitted through port 11 for a new cycle of opera--tion.

It will be noted that thus, for each power stroke of the piston, acertain amount of water is discharged through,

the open end of the pipe 8, and a similar amount is added to the columnfrom the pressure accumulator, the two amounts necessarilycorresponding, because the pressure accumulator maintains the column ofwater solid, and adds an amount of water equal to that discharged ineach cycle.

It should also be noted that the piston is free-floating and does notneed any positive stop to limit its out-stroke, the water from thepressure accumulator taking care of the arresting of the piston somewhatbefore its momentum has expired, and initiating the return movement ofthe piston while at the same time filling the space left by theretreating piston and thus adding a new charge to the system.

As an added feature, I provide means actuated by the surges of the watercolumn in opposite directions for operating various control elements andaccessories, such as the fuel injector, fuel pump, and possibly a pumpfor feeding the pressure accumulator.

This means comprises an hydraulic motor including a cam shaft 20 havinga fly wheel 21 and a crank 22, with a piston rod 23 connecting the endof crank to a piston 24. The latter is mounted for reciprocating motionin a cylinder 25, one end of which is connected to the side of cylinder1, at the lower portion of the latter, by means of an elbow 26.

This piston is thus operated in an upward direction by the momentum of.the water column on the power stroke and in the opposite. direction bythe momentum of the fly wheel, when the pressure in the water columndrops. I f

It will be noted that the bottom of the main piston never reaches thewater inlet of the elbow 26, so that it does not interfere with theoperation of the hydraulic motor. The latter must be of suchdisplacement that enough power for the work of the motor will bederived, and its fly wheel must be massive enough so that the rotationwill be smooth in character.

Since the pump described hereinabove has no suction, the water to bepumped must be forced into the water column. The pressure accumulatormust be sufliciently large to contain the water to enter in each cycle,together with the air for its operation.

The amount of water entering in each cycle depends of course on thepressure against which the pump is operating, and may be several timesthe volume of the combustion space. Water may be forced into theaccumulator by a secondary pump, say a centrifugal pump, or by any othermeans, as for instance, by gravity.

It is only necessary that the water in the accumulator be undersufiicient pressure that injection into the main body of the water willbe complete at the end of the charging period.

My improved pump operates in a two stroke cycle, a compression and anexpansion stroke corresponding to the instroke and outstroke ofthe'water'columu. The cycle i of the operation commences with theclosing of the ports 10, 11 and 12 at the beginning of the instroke andcompression of the combustion space.

Then the fuel pump operates at the beginning of the outstroke and energyderived from combustion accelerates the water column so that when theports 10, 11 and 12 again open the water column still continues inoutward movement until its energy is exhausted. Although the twostrokes. are .of equal duration, the outstroke of the water column islonger, the diiference this represents in volume of water being theoutput of the pump.

It is during the latter part of the outstroke that the combustion spaceis scavenged and as much water as leaves the water column at its outerend is restored to it through the ports 12. When these ports openpressure in the accumulator establishes fiow into the space under thepiston head, stopping the piston from following the water column andreversing its motion so that at the end of the outstroke it is again onthe point of closing the ports 12.

Thus, at the beginning of each cycle the water column is filled to thesame point as is necessary for the stability of operation of the pump.

In order that the upper part of the piston skirt will not descend farenough to cut off the inlet flow through ports 12 before the piston canbe halted, the inlet area must be made wide. This may be accomplished asshown, by making the gap in the piston skirt as wide as need be, andlocating the stationary ports 12 in the cylinder wall to matchperfectly. I

. The pump is to be started by first bringing the water column intomotion. This may be accomplished by applying compressed air to thecombustion space, in about the same. manner as in starting internalcombustion engines.

The air for the intake ports 11 is controlled by the fuel pump shaft 20,and on turning this shaft by an outside means at a speed the same as thecyclic speed of the pump, surging of the water column will commence andtake control of the fuel pump motor, whereupon regular operation of thepump may begin.

In case the heat of combustion should develop a tendency to vaporize aportion of the water in the upper end of the piston, it may be desirableto create a certain amount of circulation in the piston, which may beeasily accomplished by diversifying the angularization of the ports 12in the cylinder, some discharging in an upward direction, and othersdischarging horizontally or in a downward direction, as shown.

I claim:

1. In an internal'combustion pump of the character described, acylinder, a piston reciprocable therein and having a head forming acombustion chamber with the cylinder and a skirt depending from thehead, piping connected to the cylinder and shaped for supporting acolumn of water with one end bearing against the piston head and theother end presented at a higher elevation whereby a portion of thecolumn is discharged at said higher elevation when the piston head isforced outward by an explosive charge in the combustion chamber, andmeans mounted upon the cylinder for injecting a charge of water underpressure through the piston skirt into the column when the piston hasreached a predetermined position, whereby the'piston movement isarrested and reversed while the outward movement of the column below thepoint of injection is continued temporarily.

2. In an internal combustion pump of the character described, acylinder, a piston reciprocable therein and having a head formingacombustion chamber with the cylinder and a skirt depending from thehead, piping connected to the cylinder and shaped for supporting acolumn of water with one end bearing against the piston head and theother end presented at a higher elevation whereby a portion of thecolumn is discharged at said higher elevation when the piston head isforced outward by an explosive charge in the combustion chamber, andmeans mounted upon the cylinder for injecting a charge of water underpressure through the piston skirt into the column when the piston hasreached a predetermined position, whereby the piston movement isarrested and reversed while the outward movement of the column below thepoint of injection is continued temporarily, the column of water beingoperative, after losing its momentum, to return the piston to itsstarting position.

3. In an internal combustion pump of the character described, acylinder, a piston reciprocable therein and having a head forming acombustion chamber with the cylinder and a skirt depending from thehead, piping connected to the cylinder and shaped for supporting acolumn of water with one end bearing against the piston head and theother end presented at a higher elevation whereby a portion of thecolumn is discharged at said higher elevation when the piston head isforced outward by an explosive charge in the combustion chamber, andmeans mounted upon the cylinder for injecting a charge of water underpressure through the piston skirt into the column when the piston hasreached a predetermined position, whereby the piston movement isarrested and reversed while the outward movement of the column below thepoint of injection is continued temporarily, the column of water beingoperative, after losing its momentum, to return the piston to itsstarting position, and the cylinder having exhaust and intake portsnormally closed by the piston and located to be opened by the pistonduring the injection period.

4. In an internal combustion pump of the character described, acylinder, a piston reciprocable therein and having a head forming acombustion chamber with the cylinder and a skirt depending from thehead, piping connected to the cylinder and shaped for supporting acolumn of water with one end bearing against the piston head and theother end presented at a higher elevation whereby a portion of thecolumn is discharged at said higher elevation when the piston head isforced outward by an explosive charge in the combustion chamber, andmeans mounted upon the cylinder for injecting a charge of water underpressure through the piston skirt into the column when the piston hasreached a predetermined position, whereby the piston movement isarrested and reversed while the outward movement of the column below thepoint of injection is continued temporarily, the injecting meanscomprising a pressure accumulator surrounding the cylinder intermediatethe length thereof, means for forcing water thereinto under pressure soas to leave an air cushion above the water and cooperative ports in thecylinder wall and the piston skirt positioned for registry when thepiston reaches said predetermined position.

5. .131 an internal combustion pump of the character described, acylinder having a cap at the upper end thereof with fuel injecting meansin the cap, the cylinder having exhaust and intake ports spaced fromsaid cap, a pressure accumulator mounted around the cylinder below saidports and having delivery ports communicating with the inside of thecylinder, a piston slidable in the cylinder and having a headcooperating with the cylinder cap in forming a combustion chamber andhaving a skirt extending into the cylinder, the piston skirt being madeto cover the exhaust and intake and delivery ports when the piston is inits uppermost position and having an opening in the side wall thereofintermediate its length, the exhaust and intake ports being located foruncovering by the piston on its outward stroke under the influence of acharge exploded in the combustion chamber, and the piston skirt openingand the delivery ports being located for registry simultaneously withthe opening of the exhaust and intake ports.

6. An internal combustion pump as defined in claim 5, in which theaccumulator has means for forcing the water into the piston through theregistering piston skirt opening and the delivery ports to arrestfurther advance of the piston and to initiate return movement of thepiston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,222,601 Cambell Apr, 17, 1917 1,231,971 Trump July 3, 1917 1,294,271Humphrey et a1. Feb. 11, 1919 1,560,492 Powell Nov. 3, 1925

